Carl, I don't know anything specific about it other than Ciocc was a well regarded popular italian marque in the late 70's and 80's (they are still around). The funny bike configuration you speak of was the derigeur standard (fashion) for time trial bikes from the late 80's and early '90's. Most of the euro builders made TT bikes this way (I have seen Pinarellos, Daccordi's, DeRosas, and USA ones too)...curved tubes and smaller front wheels. So it was probably custom made for a racer for TT's. I own a Ciocc so I can tell you more about them in general.
Even up to around 1997 smaller front wheels for TT bikes was the standard (though shaped aero tubing replaced the funky curved tubes) until the UCI commissionaires stipulated that both wheels should be the same size (and other limitations on tubing, etc). Jan Ullrich's TT bike he won the '97 Tour on had a 24" wheel on the front. The ultimate could have been Francesco Moser's Hour record bike with a MONSTER wheel in the back (not sure -what size but much bigger than a 700c) and a small wheel in front.
Ciocc was the brand of maestro builder Giovanni Pelizzoli, a former apprentice of Ugo DeRosa (Ciocc was GP's nickname). He built frames for the Polish National teams for years and eventually was the master designer of all of the Fausto Coppi (Maschiagi--sp?) frames debutted in 1994. Most popular models were his "World 77" Model (aka the "San Cristobal" Model) celebrating Claudio Corti's U23 Worlds win on a Ciocc and the "Mockba (Moscow) '80" which celebrated the Olympic RR exploits of the Polish National Team (2nd or 3rd in the RR) on a Ciocc.
Forgive any inaccuracies (aka talking out my ass) from the CR list historians.
Giacomo Bellora, Falls Church VA
Carl <carlchu.geo@yahoo.com> wrote: Has anybody heard about this frameset?
I have one and was interested in finding out more about it, like when it was made, etc.
It is a 650C front wheel, 700C rear wheel, sloping top tube, funny bike type frame. It has a chrome fork, chainstays and a seat tube that curves around the rear wheel.
TIA,
Carl
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